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And So He Spoke
As Sharp As Yours 25 years prior to the main story. Within , there is a central room where the most powerful men and women of the Marines sit to discuss the pertinent events that plague their waters. Within that room sat four men; the Fleet Admiral Sakoku, the two Admirals who once fought together with him, and the youngest of the Admirals, Kurama. They sat at a rectangular meeting table, with Sakoku at its head, Kurama at his left side, and the other two Admirals on his right. The four set of eyes were focused on a fifth individual in the room with them who stood at the opposite end holding an array of documents that his own eyes were scanning. As he did, the male addressed the Admirals. "Day 27. Sparnan troops, together with troops from two allying kingdoms, invade Starfall and wrestle control away from the Marines stationed there. Marine casualties: 187 injured, 210 dead. After inspec... inspe... in..." Chills ran down the speaker's spine as he slowly rose his eyes up to meet the gaze of the four Admirals who glared back at him. Of course this situation was intimidating, some lowly Marine having to tell the most powerful individuals of the World Government that this revolution perpetrated by one of their own kingdoms has continued to be a losing battle for them. "T-T-The rest... can be read from the f-f-f... files left on your d-d-d... desks...! A-A-All information i-is recorded w-with the u-u-utmost a-a-a-accuracy! Please e-excuse me!" Doing whatever he could to finish, the individual quickly turned away and left the room with as much speedy decorum as he could muster. Letting out a sigh, Sakoku cupped his hands together and lowered his chin, staring with an empty glare onto the table. "The situation appears to be worse than we thought, Sakoku." one of the Admirals to his right spoke. "I'm afraid we need to accept the fact that Sparna has grown far too large to simply suppress. Perhaps it might be in our best interest to simply hear them out? They may be willing to agree to a ceasefire if we accept their demands." "Accept their demands? Do you have any idea what the Gorosei will do to us if we don't suppress this uprising? Our orders were to put their rebellion down by whatever means necessary." the other Admiral then argued. "If they involve CP-0, then maybe..." Raising his head, Sakoku looked over at the two of them. "I won't permit unnecessary loss of life on either side. Sparna seceded because they believed themselves to be capable of thriving on their own, outside of the world government. That did not go over so well with the Gorosei and the World Nobles when they demanded independence, and so we find ourselves here, forced to face them on the front lines. And yet, they may be our enemies now, but they're still people. With families and loved ones. There has to be a way to find some sort of middle ground. I'll speak with the Gorosei this afternoon to see what ground we can afford to give with th-" "When are you all going to stop pussyfooting around?" spat Kurama, who spoke with a slight boom to his tone of voice while maintaining composure. It was sufficient in garnering the attention of the other three men, their silent gazes centering on their fellow Admiral. "It doesn't matter what their reasons are, or who they are. By breaking the peace and stability of the world in order to achieve their own desires, they have become our enemy, and they have to answer for that." "We've been over this already, Kurama" Sakoku responded. "I know you think they all deserve to die for this. I know, even after several negotiations, they refuse to back down and stop their incessant rebellion in breaking the other kingdoms away from the world government banner. And I also know that they continue to make the world government look weak in the eyes of the rest of the world the more we allow them to tread in our waters without consequence. And yet, none of that matters, because we are not monsters! We don't need to take them out all out just to make a point! It doesn't have to-" "You're the one who doesn't get it, Sakoku." Kurama once more interrupted him. "No lion who believes their claws to be as sharp as the others will ever bow to them as their equal. If you don't protect what belongs to you, sooner or later, it belongs to somebody else. That is true of pirates just as much as it is true for even nations and kingdoms." "I won't hear any more of this." Sakoku stood from his seat, hands against the table surface for a brief moment before backing away. "At 0700 hours, you three are to report to your designated bases. And Kurama... this better be the last I hear of this talk." Once he issued his orders, the Fleet Admiral walked out of the meeting hall as the three Admirals were left to stew in the aftermath of his words. One of the two Admirals who sat across from Kurama also then stood up from his seat, followed by the other, silently walking out of the room while avoiding eye contact with their fellow Marine. The silver-haired Admiral remained seated, back against the chair, when a strange phenomenon then took place. It appeared as though a figure was melting from the walls behind where he sat, taking the form of a woman who slowly took shape and her distinct appearance. As she walked out from the wall, she rose her hand to adjust her glasses as she stood behind where Kurama sat. "You really have a way with words, don't you?" "Shut it, Haruka." Placing her hand along her superior's shoulder, her look was one more so of a nurturing mother than that of a cold vixen as was usual of her. However, her attempts at comfort were met with Kurama brushing away her hand as he stood up from the table. He too began started out of the room as Haruka followed closely behind. "As things stand now, we need to assess the situation in Starfall. Our post is at Coma Isle, so make sure you tell Raizen to meet us there at dawn. Dyan is still on assignment for now, but inform him to keep close in case he'll be needed to assist in the operation." "I see. Is that all?" Haruka challenged. "..." "It's not like you to wag your tail and follow orders. Or is there, as you might say, overlapping interests?" "Sparna made their stance very clear. Independence from the World Government. At least, that's how it started. Thanks to Sakoku's ineptitude, they see weakness in us. Now they're trying to break our hold over the other kingdoms. One after another, the kingdoms fall into disarray, with many being forced to side with their campaign just to survive. Marines are being ordered to defend and deter, but against their savage warfare, it only leaves us as sitting ducks against them. And yet Sakoku refuses to engage them. Rather than fight them back, he'd rather... negotiate and talk of peace. I cannot comprehend of a leader who watches his enemy spill his own blood and still wishes to speak peace with him." Kurama explained, his cold expression piercing ahead as he paved his way outside of the government building. Turning over to look at his subordinate, Kurama spoke once more. "I don't give a shit what Sakoku thinks, honestly. But he is the leader, even as bad a leader as he is. Whether it leads us to our own demise or not, we have our orders, and soldiers follow orders. That's all we have to do. That is the sole assignment given to us marines." "...You really do have a way with words. Even when you're spouting nothing but lies." "..." "After all, that man who debriefed the Admirals today, he was so terrified being in the room with such intimidating figures. All it took was you four gazing at him before he nearly defecated in his pants." she mused. Kurama turned away and continued toward the docks, as Haruka followed but spoke regardless, her lips curled into a faint smile. "But in reality, they held no power over him at all. It was your stare that scared him, Kurama." "Tell the men to get the ships ready. We depart for Coma Isle in an hour." Bow So Low Starfall was in chaos. A nation that, just a few years prior, was recovering from a century-long civil war; finally brought to its heels by support from the world government. It was a kingdom directly protected by the marines who helped prop them up, slowly helping them to becoming stronger as a nation on their own. After Sparna invaded with the intent of wiping out marine presence, it inevitably left the kingdom in shambles, with the beauty scenery of the water-locked nation, rendered onto ashes and debris. The fires that struck the kingdom had settled down since the night prior, with smoke of the aftermath still dotting the skies above. Within the throne room of Starfall, King Starfilia Severus sat with his advisers, discussing their situation and how to deal with the chaos wrought onto their nation. Their meeting was soon interrupted, however, as the enormous doors which closed his throne from the outside world were soon swung open as several Sparnan troops flooded the hall. Behind their entrance, the clapping sounds of a man treading down the path was heard before his own appearance was recognized. "Is this not a day to rejoice, dear Severus! We celebrate another kingdom free from the clutches of the World Government!" the man mused, adorned in decadent armor, as his long crimson hair draped along his shoulders. "Reoda... What are you doing here?" the King questioned, a look of nervous concern etched along his expression. "Now, now, is that any way to address the man who liberated you from government control? From one free man to another, I come here bearing joy and celebration. We should be holding festivities, after all." "Liberated? That's a beautiful word for the destruction you just brought to my people." Severus retorted, his eyes scanning the troops that filled his hall, lined up on either side in a solid formation. "You speak of joy and celebration and... liberation, yet you come here, bold as brass, with your army flooding my chambers." "Oh hardly." Reoda remarked, taking casual steps toward the throne as he leaned up against one of the pillars which stood at its forefront. "They're here to protect me from any possible government retaliations. Never know when those marines might try to stage an ambush, or even if the government might deploy their intelligence jockies to assassinate us. You can never be too careful, such is the price of freedom, dear Severus. Just try to ignore them." "I'll ask again. Why are you here?" Severus once more questioned, his tone being more assertive than before. "I've come to ask a favor." Reoda replied, taking steps up toward the throne where Severus sat. "As you know, the marines have retreated from this island and have holed up on Coma Isle. Just a stone's throw south of Starfall. My men are understandably exhausted from the battles of liberation waged thus far, and so..." "And so, you want me to give you my own men to continue your war. Is that it?" "Well look at you, a bloody mind-reader! You got that right, Severus." Reoda mused, grinning ear to ear as he now stood on even ground where Severus sat; his eyes peering down on the seated king. "Are you not at all concerned with them attempting to return with greater numbers? Your actions will eventually warrant an Admiral's presence." "Don't be silly, dear Severus. The marines have been playing defense the entire time. They still think I'll just tire myself out and go back to Sparna like a good little boy." Reoda continued, even rattling off a slight laugh. "It's clear that they're afraid of me. Too chickenshit to battle a real opponent, which is why they tend to their little waters, playing cops and robbers with the pirates." "...Did you not just say your army was here to protect you against such retaliations from the marines?" Severus protested, noticing a contradiction in Reoda's words from earlier. "Was that just a lie?" "..." Reoda's smirk slowly collapsed onto a silent snarl. "...Severus, don't make this harder than it has to be. You don't want to test my patience." With that, Reoda backed himself off, walking down the steps as his back was turned. "If you think I'll bow down to you because of your empty threats, you have another thing coming. The star may fall but never touches ground." Severus asserted, standing from his throne as he glared down his fellow king. "I will be returning to Sparna for now. My army will be occupying this country until we are ready to claim Coma Isle. So be a good host and keep them entertained, dear Severus. I'll return within three days to hear your answer. And I hope, for your sake, that it is a wise one." Shooting him another look from over his shoulder, a sudden wave of force was emitted outwards, sending terror down Severus's spine as the throne behind him cracked and soon enough gave way to its own weight, crumbling onto a pile of rubble. It was as if Reoda, with a mere gaze, shattered the very symbol of authority Severus held over the nation of Starfall. "..." Severus remained silent as Reoda left the throne room, the doors shutting behind him; his army preparing to take the king and his advisers into 'protective' custody. --- Meanwhile, on Coma Isle, the Silver World docks as Kurama, Haruka, and Raizen walk onto the pier. "Admiral Byakko! Thank goodness you're finally here. Oh! And welcome, Commodore Sparrow and Captain Haruka!" a soldier addressed them, lowering his head as the trio passed him by. The individual soon rose and hurried beside them, holding several papers in his hands as he continued to speak. "I have been ordered by the Fleet Admiral to debrief you as soon as you arrived! Please find all the crucial documentation present here!" As he tried handing it to Kurama, Haruka instead took them in hand, inspecting them as they walked toward the base where the soldiers were camped. "What are we working with here?" Kurama asked, his eyes centered on the camp as they approached. "Oh, well, last we've checked, we've-" "132 injured. 27 in critical condition. 342 fit to serve. 26 MIA. That about sum it up?" Haruka interrupted, gleaning that information after just a couple seconds of inspecting the stack of paperwork as she handed it back to the surprised soldier. "Approximately 18 ships are occupying the ports of Starfall, while 23 of them are circling the outer waters." "41 ships in total, huh? That's about half of their fleet, last I remember." Raizen chimed in, hands in his pockets as his eyes turned to inspect the camp's conditions and the marine soldiers that were running about to their respective posts. "Sakoku ordered us to fortify defenses." Kurama reluctantly declared. "Coma Isle is a midway island situated between Starfall and the former Marineford. Allowing them to take this island would give them a foothold toward invading G-1, and in doing so, would give them access to the Tarai Current. Therefore, we need to stop them right here. That should be enough to please Sakoku." The tone in the Admiral's voice was clearly demonstrating restraint, with idle hints of sarcasm. Raizen sighed with a low grumble, gripping the sheath of his katana as he looked over toward Kurama and Haruka. "Then I'll go on ahead and figure out the defenses they've constructed on the northern docks. See if I can't get these shitstains to shape up. Since shit is looking drab over here." Adjusting her glasses, Haruka nodded before also turning toward her superior. "I'll assist with their communications. In the event we need to signal for reinforcements." "Yeah. Then I'll inspect the soldiers still fit for battle." As Kurama motioned to split off from the two, Haruka stopped him. "We'll stop them. I promise you we will." Giving no response, Kurama continued off as Haruka watched him, a look of concern on her face as Raizen also gazed at his back. They were both aware of the predicable that plagued his thoughts; the stirring that arose from just sitting back and letting things transpire. Still Has Claws At the northern docks of Coma Isle, marine soldiers under Raizen's supervision were scurrying along, moving various armaments and fortifications along the shores to prepare for an anticipated invasion of the Sparnan fleet. The currents that connected Coma Isle with Starfall made it nearly impossible and highly disadvantageous to dock on the isle at any side other than its northern shores. While defenses were set up along the entire perimeter of the isle, none were concentrated more so than at this very shore. "There's no telling if it'll be enough to hold them off, especially if they bring the full weight of their forces around Starfall." Raizen played out the various ways an invasion by their naval fleet might take place in his mind, with every scenario having a difference in odds for their victory. Despite that, he was undeterred; knowing that if the battle reached a sufficiently disastrous point, no enemy on their side would be able to fend off his strength in a straight-up fight. There was little information on the Sparnan fleet and their commanders, and of the information they did have, it was difficult to ascertain its reliability. "Kuyayayaya..." Raizen swiftly spun at the soft ominous laughter he heard before feeling something blunt crashing into his chest which sent him flying a considerable distance. His heels dragged along the ground as he was pushed back, as the mysterious individual stood there, a large club resting along his shoulder as he grinned toward the Commodore. "Not bad! Kuyayaya! Not bad at all!" "Heh... You bastard. You almost crushed my lungs." As the smoke cleared, it was revealed Raizen managed to draw his sword at the last moment, blocking the brunt of the enemy's swing yet it was still sufficient in pushing him back. Even so, his body showed no signs of injury. "Consider yourself lucky to survive a blow from the Commander of the Sparnan Fleet's 7th Division! The name's Brase Sidas! Kuyayayaya!" "Sparrow Raizen, a Commodore of the Marines and pissed as all hell." Raizen spat back. "How the fuck did you get in here?" The marines who witnessed the sudden appearance of the enemy quickly filed behind Raizen, ready to support their commanding officer. However, as they did, a sudden shockwave ran rampant through the ground between them and Raizen, causing many of them to be catapulted out of their formations. From underneath the ground rose several figures who cracked through the surface to unearth themselves. Judging by the uniforms they wore, it was clear they were also Sparnans. "Kuyayayaya! If you must know, Sparrow Raizen whose pissed as all hell, the 7th Division is no real naval fleet at all! And that's all thanks to my Devil Fruit! But I'm afraid that's all you get for free, little birdy! Kuyayaya!" Sidas mused, readying his club for another attack as Raizen stood on the defense. As the club came crashing down, Raizen held it back with his sword, the back of his hand resting along its blunt edge for support. As the weapons clashed, black began to enshroud them, with both of them now imbued with Busoshoku Haki. Raizen pushed it off toward the side and spun his body in a circle, slashing across for his midsection. However, Sidas parried, lunging the club outwards toward the incoming arc of the blade. When they clashed this time, black sparks flew off from their point of contact. Grinning, Sidas' eyes glowed bright, causing earthen hands from underneath Raizen's position to grab onto the swordsman's ankles. "Tch." "You're mine now!" Lunging for Raizen, Sidas swung his club down from above. Raizen swiftly channeled Busoshoku to his feet below, emitting it outwards enough to break the earthen hold before using Soru to simultaneously kick off from the ground. He seemingly vanished as the club came down, colliding with the ground, as the Commodore then reappeared, standing atop the club. With a crazed grin, Raizen thrust his katana right for Sidas' eye. Letting go of the club, Sidas backed away, his eyes glowing once more as the earth around him shifted and rose to crash into Raizen from all sides. However, before it even got the chance, several instantaneous slashes resonated throughout every direction, shattering the earth into rubble as Raizen continued to press forward. "You'll have to do better than that, fuckface!" Despite that, Sidas' eyes had yet to stop glowing. The ground beneath Raizen's next step opened up and expanded quickly, a seemingly bottomless hole formed as he felt his body beginning to descend into the darkness. And yet, the Commodore was not one to easily fall into an enemy's maneuver. With Geppo, he kicked off against the air and arose above the opening in the earth, using another to twirl his body mid-air as he swung outwards to deliver a horizontal vacuum slash toward Sidas. The commander's eyes widened in shock as the vacuum slash collided with his body, sending him flying into the trunk of a nearby tree with a thud. Raizen landed onto solid ground, slowly stepping toward Sidas. "Kuya... yayaya..." "What's so funny now?" "You marines really need to work on your endgame... Kuyayaya...!" The ground beneath Sidas opened up as it consumed him, causing Raizen to jump toward his location before the Sparnan disappeared. He had little time to deduce what was going on, for the moment Sidas disappeared, explosions began to rock the shores. As he swung around to look out toward the seas, several ships had already littered the horizon, firing cannonballs out onto the isle. --- While Raizen and the other marines were preoccupied with the sudden ambush by the 7th Division, the Sparnan Fleet 3rd Division had already begun their invasion of the isle. As the explosions shook Coma Isle, the other marines scattered across the isle quickly responded, hurrying toward the shores where the Sparnans were approaching. "God damn it... We fell for it...! Motherfuckers..." Leaping from platform to platform, Raizen stood atop the fortifications built along the shoreline, glaring out at the invading fleet. As another cannon fired, a cannonball came hurtling toward the beach where Raizen stood. Centering his focused gaze upon it, he sheathed his blade, and as it came closer, he drew it with tremendous speed. In one clean slice, the cannonball was slashed apart by the Commodore's sword, the two broken fragments crashing into the shore on either side, exploding in the background as Raizen kept his trained eyes on the fleet. He reached into his coat pocket, feeling around for something, before removing his hand with an irritated expression. "Of course, of all times to forget my fucking ." Raizen lamented, before jumping off of the platform, using Geppo to travel along the air toward the fleet. He was unable to contact Kurama nor Haruka, but it was impossible that they would not know what was happening by now. He trusted his comrades to act without his assistance, even placing his own life in their hands, and so without hesitation, he flew toward the enemy fleet; ready to go wild. --- "Whew..." Landing on the deck of one of the flag ship leading this crusade, Sidas let out a sigh of relief. "He sure gave you trouble, didn't he? Or was it because you were messing around too much? Brase Sidas?" "Kuyayaya. You're one to talk, Pausa-tan." Sidas shot right back, looking over his shoulder at the 3rd Division Commander, Pausa Anias. "It sure took you guys forever to make your move! Honestly, I was about to have to awaken right then and there in front of him." "You best not. His Majesty made it clear to avoid showing off our abilities too soon in front of these-" "Enemy spotted! Incoming!" "Huh?" voiced both Sidas and Anias, as the latter motioned toward the front of the ship, looking out toward the distance. A lone figure was speeding toward the fleet, though it was difficult for the Sparnans to recognize the individual in question. However, Sidas and Anias, who both possessed a keen Kenbunshoku, both knew who the man was. "Seems he's coming to finish the job." "Kuyayaya! Round two, is it?" "No. You go support the fleet in taking the shores. I will handle our visitor." "Aww, c'mon Pausa-tan, you can't hog all the fun for yourself!" "That's the end of this discussion. Hurry up before you foul up this operation too." "Boo. You whore." Seemingly vanishing within the ship itself, melting into its deck by some strange power, Anias stood resolute, drawing his broadsword from behind his back as his eyes were focused on Raizen who was mere meters away from the flag ship. A menacing smirk was etched along the serious commander as he prepared to face down his attacker. Grinning in the distance, kicking off from the air at rapid motions, Raizen also drew his katana while mid-flight. The distance between them shortened, shortened, shortened, and then soon enough... Raizen vanished, causing Anias' eyes to widen in surprise before swirling around to his flank. The Commodore reappeared, slamming his katana into the commander's side, who parried with his own broadsword. Sparks between the metal clashing flew, yet before any verbal interaction between them could take place, Raizen kicked off from the deck of the ship and thrust his sword for Anias. The latter parried, letting Raizen pass him by, before using the momentum of the parry to slash right through the marine's backside. However, as Raizen passed on by, he kicked off again and jumped up high, somersaulting midair and kicking the broadsword along its flat side down into the deck. Following that motion, the marine sent his other leg for Anias' head, who blocked the kick with his free arm. Despite being blocked, Raizen managed to use the leverage as a means to kick off from Anias, garnering some distance between the two. Gripping his katana's hilt with both hands, the blade held at his side, he glared down his Sparnan opponent who managed to once more pick up his rooted broadsword. "You're not too bad. Honestly I prefer opponents like you over than that 'kuyayaya'-bastard." "Then we're in agreement, World Government dog. I hate his guts also." "That's right. There's no words that need to be said between two people trying to kill each other!" Once more, the two kicked off, smashing their blades into one another with tremendous force as sparks flew. The two began a series of exchanges, clashing their weapons from every angle, as shockwaves started to shake the ship and the waters surrounding them. As the flag ship was stalled, the others in the fleet continued onward, led by the 7th Division commander. --- Haruka adjusted her glasses once more, her hands covered in blood as she stood amidst a parade of bodies that littered the grounds around her. "What happened here?" Kurama questioned, approaching the scene with a stern expression. His first thought when he looked upon this scene was the fact that the bodies all belonged to marines, not Sparnans. "Why don't you ask him?" Haruka averted, gesturing to the sole survivor of this slaughter who was also dressed in marine clothing but was tied up to the tree trunk. The man's face was filled with dread, as if he watched the work of a demon, avoiding any direct glances at Haruka who seemed to be the source of that terror. "Or will you speak without more provocation?" Haruka asserted, causing the individual to tense up with a more blatant look of fear. "I-I'm sorry! I-I... His Majesty... His Majesty told me we'd be greatly rewarded if we...!" Without hearing him out, Kurama swiped his hand along the air, an invisible blade of Haki resonated outwards, slashing into the prisoner's neck as his head was lobbed off with ease. His decapitated head flew off and landed onto a patch of dirt with a light thud as Kurama turned away, glancing out in the direction of the shores where the invaders were getting close to docking. "So that explains why they managed to carry out this operation right under our noses." "Yes." Haruka confirmed, taking out a piece of cloth to wipe her hands of the blood. "From what I gleaned from their memories, they managed to hijack a marine ship that was patrolling Starfall prior to their invasion and integrated themselves into the team that fell back to Coma Isle. If I were to wager... They were so focused on defense and deterring the enemy that they never expected an infiltration." "This is because of Sakoku." Kurama spat. "Because of his contention, he thought he could rest easy, believing that we could simply scare the Sparnans into giving up their crusade. And we were caught with our fucking pants around our ankles." the Admiral continued, shutting his eyes for a moment before narrowly opening them again. "Send a message to Dyan. And afterwards, let's hurry to the shore." --- For what seemed like hours to them, Raizen and Anias stood on opposite sides, the both of them letting out subtle pants from the exhaustive clashes they engaged in the entire time. Little remained of the flag ship, with the entire deck scarred from their slashes. "You're fighting a losing battle..." "What did you say, fucker?" "You marines are weak." Anias mused, picking up his broadsword once more as he gripped the hilt with both hands. "You believe yourselves to be invincible, swaggering about in these waters as you bark and bite at the enemies of your government. You never dreamed someone would finally stand up and challenge your supremacy in these waters." "What are you on about? Stop talking like you got shit in your teeth." "What was that?" "You heard me." Raizen was clearly exhausted, having fought two Sparnan commanders over the last hour. And yet, his expression never once changed; that absolute confidence exhibited by his grin. He also gripped at his katana, holding it vertically to his right side with both hands. "All of you fuckers say the same damn thing. You aren't the first to think you shit gold and that you're all above serving others. This has gone on longer than I can count. And it always ends the same for your kind. You talk all this tough shit, and traipse about like you're king of the seas, but your kind always falls in the end. But us? A hundred years from now? A thousand years? We'll still be here. Because we're the ones who live." A massive eruption shook the seas, causing Anias to swiftly turn in shock as he saw the destruction wrought onto one of the ships. Just as he did, another explosion erupted, taking out another of the ships. And even as they did, Raizen was not deterred. Just as Anias was distracted, even for that single instant, Raizen already made his move. Combining Soru, Geppo, Kami-e, and Tekkai to create a silent instantaneous step that enabled him to close the distance between them without a single sound alerting Anias before the action was carried out. Slashing down hard, Raizen's katana slashed clean through Anias' midsection, bifurcating his body before the commander could even protest. His body parts fell to the ground, blood splattered across the deck as the Commodore thrust his blade through his enemy's head for good measure. After all, there was no guarantee that this Anias possessed no Devil Fruit power or special ability that might prevent his death. Pulling his katana out, Raizen swept the sword out toward the air to fling off as much of the blood as he could before turning to look at the source of the sudden attack on the Sparnan fleet. His lips curled into a smirk. "About damn time, you pieces of shit." Standing at the shore, several kilometers away, was Kurama: a blade of Haki in his right hand, which he used to previously send a powerful wave of Busoshoku Haki out toward the fleet, sinking not just one but two of their ships. The counterattack had finally begun. Kurama continued his assault, sending another wave of force out toward the fleet, sinking another ship as the fleet started to shift their formations. It was clear they were not anticipating adversity of this kind while in the process of invading, and so, when faced with the overwhelming might of a single man from the shores, they could do little more than attempt individual action in preventing further destruction. With Raizen taking a moment to catch his breath, he also joined the fray, quickly leaving behind the flag ship as he kicked off toward one of the nearby ships. As soon as he landed amidst the panicking crew, he started his slaughter, indiscriminately slashing down the Sparnans who came into his line of view. Many did their best to fend off the vicious Commodore, some even managing to parry his initial strikes, and yet it still ended the same; blood splattered along the deck, limbs littering the floor, as one after another, Raizen slaughtered the crew of this ship. And once he was sure he finished the job, he kicked off, leaving the ship behind as Kurama's Haki slash from afar crashed into the ship soon after. Almost as if their actions were coordinated. It seemed to go on for quite some time, as Kurama and Raizen worked independently of one another yet even from such a distance, their inherent teamwork shone through as the invading fleet were forced to witness their ships, one after another, sinking to the depths with the deceased bodies of their former crewmates. "Kuya... yaya..." Sidas observed from one of the remaining ships, even his confident face riddled with fear and concern at the almost ridiculous sight of two marines obliterating the Sparnan fleet. A bead of sweat dropped onto the deck below him as he quickly ordered his men to begin their retreat. Even if the others were sacrificed, Sidas had to ensure he escaped so as to warn his king of what had transpired here. --- An exhausted groan escaped from Raizen as he fell to the ground, resting his back against a bolder as he glared toward Kurama and Haruka. "And where the fuck were you two while I had to deal with Dumbfuck 1 and Dumbfuck 2? Shagging?" "That's mighty bold of someone who forgot his Den Den Mushi." "Listen here, I didn't think you'd need me to tell you, 'Hey! They're bombing the island! But maybe prepare some tea and crumpets while I fuck off to their ship?!' I think it was pretty self-fucking-explanatory!" "Your memory is as crude as your mouth. You could have cost us this victory." "Oi, are those tits sucking all the blood from your ears too?!" "Honestly, how a man like you ever became Commodore is beyond me." "The fuck you say?!" Turning his head toward Kurama with a comically enraged expression, Raizen called out to him. "Kurama! You hearing what this bitch is saying?!" Kurama's expression was stern and composed, glaring out at the seas before slowly turning to acknowledge Raizen's complaints. "...Don't tell me you forgot it back at the office again." "Screw you both!!" The air felt a bit lighthearted after the trio managed to secure a victory in this battle, defending Coma Isle, but at a price. All but a handful of the marines stationed on this island had fallen in the battle. Whether by suffering from the explosions which were rocking the isle before Kurama's intervention, or by falling at the hands of the Sparnans that managed to infiltrate before being slain by Haruka, the marines suffered heavy casualties. There was little to celebrate. But neither joy nor despair was Kurama's focus. Rather, it was a renewed sense of ambition; direction. It was clear that he could no longer abide by Sakoku's orders to simply remain on the defense. He had to bring the fight to the Sparnans. "We need to move quickly. Before the Sparnans are alerted as to what happened here. Ready the men and the ships. We leave for Starfall as soon as possible." The Proud King Said "Kuyayaya... First Anias goes down, and now the marines have sunk two of our fleets... Kuyayaya, His Majesty is not going to be happy about this one bit." The Sparnans had suffered the only real loss in this entire conflict. The marines were ordered to defend the territories and to avoid direct engagement with the enemy. However, on Coma Isle, the marines staged a counterattack that resulted in their victory. The Sparnans, those who were aboard with Sidas, were forced to retreat and alert their ruler of renewed marine aggression. "Sir!" Sidas turned toward one of the men who addressed him, shooting him an irritated expression. "What is it? Are we making any headway toward Sparna?" "A-About that, sir... I'm afraid there's a..." "Hmm?" Following the man toward the bow of the ship, Sidas looked out toward the distance, in the direction of his ship's path. Another ship was making its way toward his own, a much smaller vessel; hardly the size of one that was harboring a crew. The commander's usually jovial expression narrowed even further as he glared at the ship before him. "Kuyayaya..." --- Starfall Kingdom. Break of dawn. The waters of the island were littered with the ships of the Sparnans. They were brutal masters of war, leaping from one place to another in the name of their so-called 'liberation'. There was truth to their claims. One could say it was a clash of evils. The World Government's tyranny and the Sparna's anarchy. The story of humanity is the story of good and evil. While the story is always the same, the roles are never fixed. They chaotically swell and mesh, like two oceans attempting to meet at the edge, and constantly bounce and cross, to and fro. He who wins is justice, he who loses is evil. And so this was another chapter in the endless story. Not a fight between good and evil, but rather, a fight to decide who is good and who is evil. That is what the story of mankind truly is. A Coat of White, A Coat of Black